Today in History

Associated PressToday is Monday, Feb. 10, the 41st day of 2014. There are 324 days left in the year.Today’s highlight:On Feb. 10, 1968, U.S. figure skater Peggy Fleming won America’s only gold medal of the Winter Olympic Games in Grenoble, France.On this date:In 1763, Britain, Spain and France signed the Treaty of Paris, ending the Seven Years’ War (also known as the French and Indian War in North America).In 1840, Britain’s Queen Victoria married Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.In 1841, Upper Canada and Lower Canada were proclaimed united under an Act of Union passed by the British Parliament.In 1933, the first singing telegram was introduced by the Postal Telegram Co. in New York.In 1942, the former French liner Normandie capsized in New York Harbor a day after it caught fire while being refitted for the U.S. Navy. RCA Victor presented Glenn Miller and his Orchestra with a “gold record” for their recording of “Chattanooga Choo Choo,” which had sold more than 1 million copies.In 1949, Arthur Miller’s play “Death of a Salesman” opened at Broadway’s Morosco Theater with Lee J. Cobb as Willy Loman.In 1959, a major tornado tore through the St. Louis, Mo., area, killing 21 people and causing heavy damage.In 1962, the Soviet Union exchanged captured American U-2 pilot Francis Gary Powers for Rudolf Abel, a Soviet spy held by the United States. Republican George W. Romney announced his ultimately successful candidacy for governor of Michigan.In 1967, the 25th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, dealing with presidential disability and succession, was ratified as Minnesota and Nevada adopted it.In 1981, eight people were killed when a fire set by a busboy broke out at the Las Vegas Hilton hotel-casino.In 1989, Ron Brown was elected the first black chairman of the Democratic National Committee.In 1998, Dr. David Satcher was confirmed by the Senate to be surgeon general.Ten years ago: The White House, trying to end doubts about President George W. Bush’s Vietnam-era military service, released documents it said proved he had met his requirements in the Texas Air National Guard. Democrat John Kerry won the Virginia and Tennessee primaries. A truck bombing in Iskandariyah, Iraq, killed 53 people. An Iranian plane crashed in the United Arab Emirates, killing 46 people.Five years ago: The Senate approved President Barack Obama’s giant economic stimulus measure. U.S. and Russian communication satellites collided in the first-ever crash of its kind in orbit, shooting out a pair of massive debris clouds. Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni’s centrist Kadima Party narrowly won the most seats in Israel’s 120-member parliament. (However, it was Benjamin Netanyahu who ended up forming the new Israeli government.)One year ago: Joe Paterno’s family released its response to Penn State’s report on the Jerry Sandusky scandal, attacking Louis Freeh’s conclusion that the coach hid sex abuse allegations against his longtime assistant. Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford took charge of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan. A stampede killed 37 people during a Hindu festival in northern India. At the Grammy Awards, Fun. won song of the year for “We Are Young”; Gotye’s massive and oddball pop hit “Somebody I Used to Know” picked up record of the year.Associated Press

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